Is it better to roast or boil pumpkin for puree?

Roast it. Dry oven heat concentrates the flavor and caramelizes some of the natural sugars, so the puree tastes deeper and sweeter, and it drives off moisture for a thick puree you won't need to strain. Boiling makes the pumpkin soak up water, leaving a thinner, blander puree that usually needs draining before you can bake with it.

Can you make pumpkin puree from a regular carving pumpkin?

You can, but it won't taste very good or have a great texture. Large carving pumpkins are bred for size, not flavor, so they're watery and stringy and make a bland, thin puree. Small sugar or pie pumpkins, Hokkaido, or kabocha have denser, sweeter flesh and make a far better puree. Butternut squash is also a great option.

How do you make pumpkin puree without a food processor?

Mash the roasted pumpkin while it's still hot with a potato masher or the back of a fork, or even better, push it through a potato ricer for the smoothest result. Hot pumpkin breaks down much more easily than once it's cooled. You'll get a slightly more rustic texture that's perfect for bread, muffins, and savory dishes.

Can you freeze pumpkin puree?

Yes. Pumpkin puree freezes very well and keeps its flavor and creamy texture. Freeze it for up to three months, portioned and flattened between wax or parchment paper and added to a freezer bag, or for up to 1 year in a glass canning jar with 1/2-inch headspace left empty for expansion as it freezes. I've personally frozen mine in a glass jar for a full year with absolutely no issues. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and give it a stir before using.

Can you substitute homemade pumpkin puree for canned?

Yes, one to one. Homemade pumpkin puree is unsweetened and unseasoned, exactly like plain canned pumpkin, so it swaps directly into any recipe. If your homemade puree looks wetter than canned, let it drain in a fine-mesh strainer for a few minutes so your batter or filling isn't too loose.

How to Make Pumpkin Puree (30-Minute Method)

Name: How to Make Homemade Pumpkin Purée
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: one 2-pound whole pumpkin (Hokkaido, Sugar, Kabocha, or Pie Pumpkin), peeled and diced (1kg)

Description

This homemade pumpkin purée recipe is perfect for better-tasting, less-processed holiday pumpkin desserts and savory sides, for homemade baby food, or for the best pumpkin pie ever. It takes just 30 minutes from start to finish. I've cut the 40 to 60-minute roasting time most pumpkin purée recipes call for down to 30 minutes, because everyone's trying to save energy and time these days.

Ingredients

one 2-pound whole pumpkin (Hokkaido, Sugar, Kabocha, or Pie Pumpkin), peeled and diced (1kg)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark even when your hands have flour all over them

Instructions

Prep the pan and preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Roast the pumpkin. Peel it, remove the seeds, and dice into 1-inch pieces. Spread in a single layer on the sheet pan and roast for 30 minutes, until fork-tender. Remove from the oven, let the pumpkin rest until it stops steaming, then transfer it to the bowl of a food processor. *See notes for alternative ways to process the pumpkin.
Purée the pumpkin. Process until smooth and creamy, then ladle into jars or use it straight away in any recipe that calls for canned pumpkin or pumpkin purée.

Notes

Larger pumpkins: roast slightly longer and toss the pieces once or twice for more even cooking.

No peeling or dicing: cut the pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds, and roast both halves flesh-side down. Increase the roasting time by 20 to 30 minutes, until fork-tender.

No food processor: mash the roasted pumpkin with a potato masher or fork, or push it through a potato ricer for a creamy consistency.

Purée in batches: I process about half the pumpkin at a time. It gives a smoother result and moves a little faster.

Let the steam die down first: waiting until the roasted pumpkin stops steaming before it goes in the food processor does two things. It lets some moisture evaporate so your purée is thick, not watery, and it keeps you safer, since you should never process piping-hot ingredients.

For a thicker purée, start in a cold oven: put the pan of chopped pumpkin into the oven before you turn it on, and let it roast through the entire preheat, then give it 20 minutes once the oven reaches 400°F/200°C. The slow warm-up draws off extra moisture, so it's especially useful for wetter varieties like butternut or sugar pumpkin, and it puts the oven to work the whole time it's on instead of only after it's hot. Just remember the total time runs longer, roughly your preheat plus the 20 minutes.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Category: Condiments + Sauces + Dips
Method: Oven Roasted
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/2 cup
Calories: 54
Sugar: 3g
Sodium: 2mg
Fat: 0.1g
Saturated Fat: 0g
Unsaturated Fat: 0g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 12g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 1.2g
Cholesterol: og